This invention relates in general to firearms and deals more specifically with an improved combat shotgun particuarly adapted for use as a close assault weapon by military and law enforcement personnel.
The devastating effect of a shotgun at close range is well known and both military and law enforcement authorities have long recognized its value as a close assault weapon, because of its dispersed pattern fire and high hit capability at common combat ranges. Currently, there is no military shotgun system. The shotguns heretofore used by the military and by law enforcement agencies have been conversions or modifications of commercial manually operated pump shotguns and a wide variety of such shotguns are presently in use by the military. Such shotguns usually employ an injector bolt/extractor method of individual shell firing, lack semi-full automatic capability and have limited fire power. The actions of such shotguns are relatively complex, expensive to produce, prone to malfunction under adverse environmental conditions, and difficult to maintain in the field. Further, the relatively massive barrel and receiver requirements imposed by most conventional shotgun actions result in undesirable high heat retention characteristics. Such shotguns are difficult to operate and load in prone position, have high noise and flash signatures and generally lack the ruggedness required of a combat weapon.
Accordingly, it is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved reliable semi-full automatic firearm of lightweight durable construction having a relatively simple action and adapted for ease of field maintenance in accordance with usual military requirements. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an improved firearm which may be rapidly loaded and fired in any firing position, fired from one hand, if necessary, and immediately reloaded and fired after fully automatic fire. A still further aim of the invention is to provide an improved combat shotgun which permits quick barrel-change, allowing swift changeover to accommodate various ammunition.